At least 30 Haitian soccer federation members died in last week’s earthquake

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The Caribbean Football Union reported to FIFA today that at least 30 members of Haiti’s football federation have died in the country’s earthquake.

In its report, the union said the dead included players, coaches, referees and administrative and medical representatives who were attending a meeting at the federation’s headquarters when it collapsed during the quake.

Federation president Yves Jean Bart survived the quake and told Caribbean Football Union president Horace Burrell that at least 20 federation members remained buried in the rubble or are unaccounted for.

‘Words cannot describe what I have seen in Haiti. It’s heartbreaking,’ Burrell said in his report to FIFA Vice President Jack Warner.

Luis Mejia, president of the Dominican Olympic committee, reported today that at least seven Haitian Olympic athletes have died in the quake. The dead include two siblings who were taekwondo competitors.

FIFA is donating $250,000 to the relief efforts.

-- Austin Knoblauch